March 30, 2015

by James Glazebrook

Here’s a little something chill to ease you into the week: “Let’s Start” by Josh the Cat. Josh has appeared on überlin before, once as his Mez Medallion alter ego, and again as Phia’s long-time “collaborator” (that’s what me and Zoë call it too!). This time, the catman is back, with some serious Erlend Øye vibes and a track that he tantalisingly describes as ” a slowed-down early Twin Shadow meets a lo-fi Death Cab for Cutie, but produced by Childish Gambino”. Have a listen to “Let’s Start” below, and download it for free here. Have a good week

March 8, 2015

by James Glazebrook

Welcome to episode 1 of Radio überlin! For our first ever radio show, Zoë and I sat down to shoot the shit about Felix da Housecat being turned away from Berghain and taking it no so well, as well as the line-up of the first ever Lollapalooza Berlin. We also answered a reader’s question about making the big move from California to Berlin, and played tracks by Iggy Pop, Beam Up, Losers, Phia, Jamaica Suk and Alec Empire. Tune into Berlin Radio International every Thursday evening from 8:30pm to hear more!

December 29, 2014

by James Glazebrook

There’s nothing like a Music Montag end of year playlist to make you realise just how diverse the Berlin music scene is! Bookended by classic Zoë favourites that drive home the dominance of the city’s clubbing industry, elsewhere this year’s Best of Berlin runs the gammut of genres. There’s electro pop, indie, weirdo synth explorations, progressive metal, a healthy chunk of Bowie covers… even a hilarious advertising jingle and a track from a rock opera for kids! Hope you enjoy this pick-and-mix of the most interesting music (mostly) produced in Berlin this year. Boom.

May 19, 2014

by James Glazebrook

Ahead of the David Bowie retrospective soon to open at Martin-Gropius-Bau, a clutch of our favourite Berlin acts have covered some of the Thin White Duke’s best songs. Leading the pack is bass maven Emika‘s otherworldly exploration of “Let’s Dance”, replete with gender-bending pitched-down vocals (eat your heart out, planningtorock!). The eternally cute coupling of Phiaand her boyfriend Josh the Cat AKA Mez Medallionhave recorded the oft-overlooked “As The World Falls Down” from childhood classic Labyrinth for Rolling Stone Germany, while Kool Thing went with one of my favourites, the epic title track from “Station to Station” (also available on a special CD compilation available with the May edition of the magazine). Dance magic dance!

December 30, 2013

by James Glazebrook

What have Enya, Fleetwood Mac, Chris Isaak, Rihanna, M.I.A, Destiny’s Child and Kendrick Lamar got in common? Nope, they haven’t formed a Gayngs-style supergroup (we wish!)… but all of them have had tracks covered or remixed by überlin’s Music Montag picks for 2013. Here’s two hours of our favourite music made in and about Berlin this year, from electro to acoustic, from heavy heavy metal to fat dirty bass. Enjoy

September 30, 2013

by James Glazebrook

Mez Medallion – Double Cat by Amelie Scalercio

It’s a bit outrageous that we haven’t featured Mez Medallion before. He’s well within our little expat bubble, as an Australian in Berlin and the boyfriend of überlin favourite Phia – with whom he shares songwriting brilliance, onstage charm, mastery over any number of instruments and a penchant for loop pedals. Of course, double M is his own man, especially when it comes to crafting the crisp beats that underscore his earnest electropop, and shredding on guitar.

Let’s get you up to speed. Here’s Mez’s autumn-appropriate video for “Move Towards the Light”…

If you’re digging this, you can preview and pick up Mez Medallion’s new EP Live in Berlin here, or catch him actual-live supporting Phia on her first headline tour of Germany – full details, including a Berlin date at the English Theatre, here. You shan’t regret it!